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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


HIM 


11.25 


It    i^" 


2.0 


1.8 


LA.  Ill  1.6 


PhofejgKphic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  8;2-4S03 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductlons  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Tachnicai  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notes  tachniquas  at  bibliographiquas 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  availabia  for  aiming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagas  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  niathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I~n    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul^e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

La  titra  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartas  giographiquas  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 
D 


n 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  incerior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
diatorsion  ie  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  tha  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  Je  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  ceia  dtait  possible,  cas  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  Ie  meilleur  axemplaire 
qu'll  lui  a  iti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Las  details 
de  cet  axemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 

D 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restauries  et/ou  pellicuides 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d^colories,  tacheties  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachdes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  inigala  de  {'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppldmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuiliet  d'^rrata.  une  pelure. 
etc..  ont  M  filmies  i  nouveau  de  fapon  i 
obtanir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ca  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


y 


12X 


16X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


JJ 


32X 


Th«  copy  filmed  here  has  b««n  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  ths  gsnsrosity  of: 

L^islature  du  Quebec 
Quebec 


L'sxampiaira  film^  fut  reproduit  grdca  it  la 
gAnirositi  de: 

L^iilature  du  Quebec 
Quebec 


Ths  imagss  appearing  hers  are  ths  bsst  qusiity 
possibis  considsring  ths  condition  and  Isgibiiity 
of  ths  original  copy  and  in  kssping  with  ths 
filming  contract  spscifications. 


Original  eopiss  In  printsd  papsr  eovsrs  ars  filmsd 
bsginning  with  ths  front  eovsr  and  snding  on 
ths  last  page  with  a  printsd  or  illustratsd  imprss- 
sion,  or  ths  back  covsr  whsn  appropriats.  All 
othsr  original  eopiss  ars  filmsd  bsginning  on  ths 
first  pegs  with  a  printsd  or  illustratsd  Imprss- 
slon,  and  snding  on  ths  last  pegs  with  a  printsd 
or  illustrstsd  imprsssion. 


Ths  last  rscordsd  frams  on  ssch  microfichs 
shall  contain  ths  symbol  — ^(moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  ths  symbol  V  (msaning  "END"), 
whichsvsr  sppliiM. 

Maps,  platss,  charts,  stc.  msy  bs  filmsd  at 
diffsrsnt  rsduction  rstios.  Thoss  too  Isrgs  to  Ds 
sntirsly  includsd  in  ons  sxi|)osurs  ars  filmsd 
bsginning  in  ths  uppsr  Isft  hsnd  comsr,  tsft  to 
right  snd  top  to  bottom,  ss  many  frambs  as 
rsquii'sd.  Ths  following  diagrams  illustrats  the 
method: 


Les  imagss  suivsntss  ont  M  rsproduitss  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compts  tsnu  ds  la  condition  at 
ds  la  nsttst*  ds  I'sxsmpiairs  film«.  st  sn 
conformitift  avsc  Iss  conditions  du  contrat  ds 
filmags. 

Lss  sxsmplsirss  originsux  dont  la  couvs^urs  en 
papisr  sst  imprimte  sont  fiimte  en  commsn^ant 
par  Is  prsmier  plat  st  sn  tsrminsnt  soit  par  la 
dsrniArs  psgs  qui  comports  uns  emprsints 
d'Imprsssion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  Is  sscond 
plat,  sslon  lo  ess.  Tous  les  autres  exsmpiairss 
originsux  sont  filmte  sn  commsn^ant  par  la 
prsmiArs  psgs  qui  comports  uns  smprsints 
d'Imprsssion  ou  d'illustration  st  en  tsrminant  par 
la  dsrnlArs  pags  qui  comports  uns  tslls 
smprsints. 

Un  dss  symboiss  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dsmiArs  imsgs  ds  chsqus  microfichs,  sslon  Is 
cas:  Is  symbols  — ^  signifis  "A  SUIVRE",  Is 
symbols  V  signifis  "FIN". 

Les  cartss.  pianchss.  tablsaux,  etc..  psuvsnt  dtrs 
filmto  A  dee  taux  ds  reduction  diff^rsnts. 
Lorscpuo  Is  documsnt  sst  trop  grand  pour  dtrs 
rsproduit  sn  un  ssul  cliche,  il  sst  filmA  d  partir 
ds  I'angls  sup4risur  gauchs.  ds  gauche  d  droite. 
et  do  haut  en  baa,  sn  prsnant  Is  nombrs 
d'imagss  ntessssirs.  Lss  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrsnt  Is  methods. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

<< 


13 


V\ 


A  LETTER 

TO  THE  niGHT  HONOURABLE 


BARON    ASHBURTON, 

¥ 

HER  MAJESTY'S 

SPECIAL  MINISTER  PLENIPOTENTIARY 

TO    THE 

UNITED  STATES ; 

ON  THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE 

CORN    AND    FLOUR    TRADE 


7 


WITH 


ENGLAND, 


VIA  THE  RIVER  ST.  LAVl^RENCE 


And  on  the  Advantages  to  be  Derived  from 


INTRODUCING 


MAIZE  INTO  GREAT  BRITAIN, 


AS     ACHEAP     ARTICLE     O! 


FOOD 


FOR  THE  POOR  AND  LABOURING  CLASSES. 


N£W-YORK:    1842, 


N. 


r   1  A 


I 


i 


«    I    i 


I 


LETTER 

TO   THK 

RIGHT  HON.  LORD  ASHBURTON,  &c.  &c.  &c. 


My  Lord, — 

Her  Majesty's  Government  having  with  great  wisdom 
and  humanity  deputed  your  Lordship  to  come  hither  with  the 
Olive  Branch,  to  endeavour  to  arrange  the  differences  now  un- 
happily  subsisting  between  the  two  countries-it  is  the  duty  of 
every  lover  of  peace  and  concord  to  pray  for  the  success  of  your 
mission,  and  to  contribute  their  efforts,  however  feeble,  to  the 
same  end. 

In  the  course  of  your  Lordship's  negotiations  with  the  Ameri- 
can  Government,  it  will  doubtless  be  a  part  of  your  Lordship" 
duty  to  dwell  upon  the  advantages  that  two  great  commercial  So! 
pie  must  derive  from  a  prolonged  intercourse  with  each  other  • 
and  It  has  occurred  to  the  writer  of  these  pages,  that  other  im-' 

fit  o?1p?"  '' •''^''"^'  """y  y^'  ^^  opened  for  the  mutual  bene- 
fit  of  the  two  nations,  to  one  or  two  of  which  he  asks  leave  to 
draw  your  Lordship's  attention. 

Your  Lordship  is  perhaps  av  are,  that  within  a  few  years  a 
large  branch  of  trade  has  created  itself  by  almost  imperS^^^ 
degrees,  on  the  Northern  Frontier-consisting  of  Flour.  Wheat 
and  other  Gram,  exported  to  the  British  North  American  Colonies 
and  so  extensive  has  this  trade  become,  that  during  the  last  year  ii 
amounted  to  nearly  four  millions  of  dollars  in  value.     A  writer 
who  appear,  to  have  paid  some  attention  to  this  subject    ob- 
serves : —  •'      ' 


[     4     ] 

way  to  England,  via  the  St.  Lawrence,  under  the  denomination  of  Colonial 
products,  but  wo  had  no  conception  of  its  magnitude  until  the  official  return* 
were  promulgp.ted.  '• 

He  then  proceeds  : — 

"  We  have  before  us  a  copy  of  the  Treasury  Report,  containing  a  statement 
of  the  commerce  and  navigation  of  the  United  States.  These  statistical  do- 
cuments are  of  immense  value,  if  properly  used,  in  exhibiting  the  development 
of  commerce  and  industry,  with  the  relative  importance  of  each  department  of 
business. 

In  looking  over  this  document  we  were  struck  with  a  fact  which  we  think 
will  surprise  our  readers  as  much  as  ourselves.  It  is  this  :  The  navigation,  or 
the  tonnage  between  the  United  States  and  the  British  possessions  in  America^ 
is  one  third  of  the  wh  Ac  tonnage  of  the  United  States.  Of  this,  more  than 
two-thirds,  or  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  whole  tonnage  of  the  United  States,  is 
with  the  Canadas.     The  results  arc  thus  : — 

Whole  tonnage  entering  the  ports  of  the  United  States, 8,289.309 

Entering  from  British  America, 761,096 

From  Canadas, 635,461 

Great  as  is  our  trade  with  England,  the  tonnage  required  to  carry  it  on  is  less 
than  that  engaged  in  the  lake  commerce  with  the  Canadas.     Thus  : 

Entered  from  England,  tons 496,773 

The  immense  value  of  tine  goods  in  proportion  to  their  weight,  explains  why 
the  value  of  importations  from  England  is  so  much  greater  in  proportion  to  the 
tonnage  employed. 

That  the  trade  with  the  British  Possessions  in  America  is  a  valuable  one,  in 
a  commercial  point  of  view,  we  may  gather  from  the  state  of  the  account : 

Value  of  Imports .$2,007,767 

"  Exports 6,093,250 

Nearly  four  milliotis  of  the  above  exports  consisted  of  wheat  flour  and 
bread  stuflfs. 

From  this  it  appears  thai  the  export  of  farinaceous  food  from 
the  United  States  to  the  Provinces  exceeds  in  value  four  millions 
of  dollars  annually !  employing  a  tonnage  equal  to  one-third  of 
the  whole  foreign  tonnage  of  the  United  States ;  while  the 
imports  in  return  from  the  same  Provinces  only  amount  to 
$3,000,000. 

Now  as  the  rapidly  increasing  population  of  the  British  Isles 
must  produce  a  corresponding  increase  of  demand  for  such  arti- 
cles, it  follows  that  this  trade  with  Canada  must  increase  also. 
.A.S  the  finest  and  most  extensive  wheat  districts  of  the  United 
States,  viz.,  the  northern  parts  of  Ohio,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  and 
other  States  bordering  upon  the  great  Lakes,  are  fast  coming  into 
cultivation ;  as  the  large  sums  voted  in  Canada  for  internal  im- 
provements will  be  mainly  expended  upon  the  great  highway  of 
the  lakes  and  the  St.  Lawrence,  so  as  to  enable  a  vessel  to  take 
in  her  cargo  at  Chicago,  and  hoist  it  on  board  a  vessel  lying  at 
Montreal  or  Quebec  without  any  trans-shipment — it  is  evident 
that  American  wheat  and  flour  will  reach  England  cheaper  by 
that  route  than  any  other,  and  that  it  must  ere  long  be  the  great 
channel  for  that  species  of  commerce.     The  bulkiness  of  the  ar- 


1 


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[     5     ] 

tides,  the  proximity  of  the  country  producing  them,  the  course 
«f  the  waters,  and  the  force  of  gravity,  render  this  inevitable. 

If  natural  causes  which  human  agency  cannot  control  give  the 
carrying  trade  to  British  vessels  on  fhe  homeward  voyage,  natural 
t^auses  will  also  give  the  return  trade  to  American  ve'ssels  ;  for 
the  St.  Lawrence  being  closed  by  ice  until  May,  must  of  neces- 
sity  send  all  the  Spring  importations  to  New  York  and  Boston  in 
March  and  April,  from  whence  they  will  be  transmitted  by  rail- 
road  and  steamboat  to  the  far  west,  and  reach  their  destination 
before  any  vessel  can  penetrate  to  Quebec. 

The  importance  of  this  trade  is   not  sufficiently  estimated  by 
the  American  merchant;  nor  do  we  believe  that  it  is  sufficiently 
understood  at  Washington.     If  the  American  exports  to  the  pro- 
vinces amount  to  six  million  dollars  annually,  now  that  the  trade 
IS  m  Its  infancy,  what  will  it  be  when  it  has  ripened  or  advanced 
further  to  maturity  ?     Without  undertaking  to  say  whether  Ameri- 
can  wheat,  which  passes  over  the  lines,  goes  to  England  under 
the  denomination  of  Canada  wheat,  or  whether  it  be  eaten  on  the 
spot,  and  the  Canada  article  exported-it  is  sufficient  to  know 
that  the   American   farmer  finds  a  sale  for  his  produce,  to  the 
amount  stated.     The  population  of  Canada  is  about  one  million 
of  souls  making  the  imports  of  American  bread  stuffs  equal  to 
four  dollars  each  per  annum.     It  is  the  policy  of  the  Mother 
Country  to  augment  the  population  of  those  provinces  by  emigra- 
tion ;  and  we  should  not  be  surprised  to  see  the  number  of  in- 
habitants   Joubled  in  a  hw  years,  and  creating  a   demand  of 
twelve  million   dollars  worth  of   American  produce.      Can   any 
merchant  or  politician  look   upon    such  a  prospect  unmoved  ? 
And  ought  It  not  to  convince  him  of  the  urgent  necessity  of  pre- 
serving peace  between  the  two  countries  ? 

Let  us  look  at  the  subject  in  another  point  of  view.     Of  what 
do  the  croakers  of  American  prosperity  chiefly  complain  ?     Why 
that  the  balance  of  trade  with  England  is  against  this  country;' 
and  hence   the  high  rate  of  exchange.     «  We  have  nothing  » 
say  they,  "  but  cotton,  tobacco,  and  the  other  staples   of  the 
South  to  pay  our  enormous  annual  debt  to  England ;  the  North 
has  nothing  she  can  export,  to  pay  her  bills  in  Manchester,  Bir- 
mmgham,  &c."     Admitting  this  to  have  been  true  heretofore  the 
complaint  no  longer  exists,  for  the  wheat  of  the  lake  countries 
does  now  actually  constitute  a  staple  export  of  the  North  amount- 
ing to  SIX  millions  of  dollars  annually,  and  will,  ere  long,  double, 
and  perhaps  treble  that  amount 


[  6  ] 

Nor  do  Bread  Stuffs  constitute  the  only  article  of  export  to 
these  Colonies.  Horses,  Horned  Cattle,  Pork,  &c,  form  other 
and  additional  exports  to  a  very  great  extent. 

Besides  these,  a  new  class  of  exports,  consisting  of  agncultu- 
ral  implements,  churns,  buckets,  &c.,  and  in  short,  all  articles  of 
which  wood  forms  a  principal  constituent  part,  are  sent  largely 
into  Canada,  as  will  appear  from  the  following  table  ;— 

The  Port  of  Rochester. ^Bxxt  few  of  our  citizens  we  apprehend,  arc  aware 
of  the  extent  and  importance  of  the  trade  carried  on  between  this  cUy  and  Ca- 
nada  We  have  reverted  to  it  occasionally  during  the  past  season  ;  and  since 
the  close  of  navigation  have  been  at  .ome  pains  to  ascertain  as  n«"»y  "  POf"" 
ble,  the  amount  of  business  done.  We  have  compiled  from  the  Custom  Houe 
records,  the  following  table  of  exports.  We  state  merely  the  value  of  the  dif- 
ferent  articles,  without  giving  the  quantity  : 

Flo„r .1-da. »«.«J» 

5,800 

10,200 

3,000 

7,000 


Pork 

Stoves.-.. 
Tallow  .. 
Live  Stock 
Machinery 


Macninery •-•: aoo  000 

Sundries  and  articles  not  enumerated ^     ' 

Total '^eS^'^OO 

The  "sundries  and  articles  not  enumerated,"  consist  of  such  a  quantity  and 
varietv  of  products  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  make  a  correct  estimate. 
ThTvconsfst  0  tobacco,  cigars,  cheese,  cider,  candles,  iron,  hollow-ware,  farm- 
bgu'tensi  pol  and  peLrlLhes,  cabinet  ware,  threshing  --h.nes  grocenes 
an^d  many 'kinds  of  raw  produce.  The  estimates  ""^^.J  "P°"  ^^f^^^f^  ^J 
above,  vve  are  assured  by  a  person  most  conversant  with  the  trade,  are  very 

^'^  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  trade  direct  from  this  port  to  Canada,  amount 
to  more  than  six  hundred  thousand  dollars  yearly. 

The  importance  and  extent  of  this  trade  is  beginning  to  be  seen 
by  the  American  frontier  press  generally;  and  J  will,  for  your 
Lordship's  information,  add  one  or  two  other  extracts  confirmatory 
of  my  own  statements  : — 

Canada  Trade.-Important  Facts.-h^st  year  Port  ^'^"l^y'i^^f^^^j,^^;'^^ 
and  two  other  shipping  places  a  few  miles  from  it,  ^^P^'t^^'i^^/'^JJo—  l\ 
wheat,  2000  barrels  of  Flour,  and  1400  of  Pork,  and  ^Pf^^'^tal  ^rarcelv  500 
Salt,  and  3000  tons  Merchandize.     Twenty  years  ago,  there  was  scarcely  500 

'T'at  yTELt^t'at^JSed  through  the  Welland  Canal,  from  U  S.  to 

U.  S  K  946  142  bushels  ^of  Wheat  an'd  l^.f  Vr'^V//o7  orio"rk    an"d 
United   States  to  Canadian  ports,  88.964  bbls.  Flour,  22^^307  of  Pork,  an^^^ 

367,261  bushels  of  Wheat-also  from  Canadian  PO'^s  ««  L«^^^"*/"lf;'|f4 
ra  District  to  Canadian  ports  on  Leke  Ontario,  120,893  barrels  of  Flour,  514 

is  estimaTed  by  a  writer  in  the  Toronto  Patriot  at  18,000  h^rreh.-Rochester 
Evn.  Post. 

The  Detroit  Daily  Advertiser  offers  the  following  observations. 
They  show  not  only  a  vast  increase  in  the  Grain  Trade  wUh.  Ca> 
nada,  but  in  the  Provision  Trade  also  : — 


11 


h 


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'^ 


»       I      V 


K     t» 


/■ 


f 


[     7     ] 

^^'^ir.^rlZf::!^^^^^  ..riou,  other  .tate.,  h.* 

all  kind»  enter^nto  if  rargl^"^''^e  cammt  o?""'"''^  to  grain-provision  .  of 
mate  of  its  present  amount,  but  in  IsVo  t^o  tot.f  v"!"'  ^^u  ""^  """"'«  "»'- 
da,  from  the  United  States  was  *4  2Qfi  a^\  }  '^''"*'  °^'*'°  "'PO"^'"  »<>  ^ana- 
1,066,604  bu8hel«_flou  ,  432  356  S;  ■  r^'"^"^'  '*>«  ""'•^'^^  «"«  ^heat, 
38^63  barrels-hams,  138  6lf  K  "los  yTl'ir'  '''',?'^l^*;r  P"'**' 
IS  directly  interested.  The  amnnnf  /  .  T^  '^'' '  '"  «"  which.  Michigan 
been   thr^e   times  as  n,J;^  .^^^  'k^/;;^  hfve 

be  an  immt-n.e  increase  the  present  vrarVr  '^'"^'«'*"'  «^  '«"'.  t^ore  will 
loaded  down  with  meat  and  flou?  stored  for  .h«  P  T^  ''""f «  '"  '^'«  "^^'y  "« 
we  understand  to  be  true  at  all  X  nrm  ^     .^ 

chases  have  been  making  a!  w  iter  o^n  r?'',^''''"  ?«'"'«  '"  '^e  state.  Pur- 
the  coming  crop  has  bc"e^,  clTiden  ir.n  J'".'';"".  ""*'""''  ''"'^  '^is  outlet  for 
one  of  the  main  inducerients  to  an  exfJn  "^  "?  ^^  ""'  ^''^'''S'^"  '""''»"«.  «« 
two,  wc  saw  a  communSion  in   «n  if.         '  cultivation.     Within  a  week  or 

♦0  revive  the  spirits  of   he  wheaJ  /roZX  T^  n'-  '"  "^''^^  '^'  ^"'"  -"KI^^ 
i-  vno  wneat  growers  by  dwelling  upon  this  new  market 

^e'^Zu^I^r^;  "'"'  ?'"^"  '''''''''  ''  ^""^'-  P-ofs  do 
we  require  of  the  vast  benefits  to  be  derived  from  this  «eat 
and   growing   intercourse  ?      It    is   a  tv.rU    th.  ^ 

Quir*.  hmTi  ,i„t;  1  .         ^i'    IS   a  trade    that  does   not  re- 

quTe  et,  .h     f"  -  u"",  •■"  "'  P'ot«c.ion-it  does  no.  re- 

.0  be  leT"  t%      IT'  ^""^  "'  "-"""--"'-it  "nly  requires 

Am.-i„  ■  '       ^^  inconceivable  advantage  of  the 

ent^e  lake  frontier  for  a  thousand  miles  will  teem  with  the  golden 
fields  of  harvest,  the  produce  of  which,  the  hungry  bu"  M„s 

.t"ira:fLir"';rr„r/"^''^ 

food  fmrn  r.„  1  ,  T^-  'f  England  can  be  supplied  with 
can  Un?o„  :  t  ,^'"' "^  ^""^ -Western  States  of  the  Ameri- 
can  Union  at  a  cheap  rate,  to  an  indefinite  extent  and  can 
pay  for  It  m  the  products  of  her  labour-her  increasing  populate™ 
s  no  logger  formidable,  for  additional  millions  may  y^tTe     ^n" 

frlm  ,     /"?"  "'""""  ""^  """"""^  "■^'  have  beeVapprehetded 
from  a  redundant  and  surcharged  population.  ^ 

eno^^tf  oraiir^  fitioiif ^  ^  oir'::^ 
c^ca;ar^:h!Lotnfar.:°  -^^  -'^ "-" 

Ist.  Because  the  St.  Lawrence  is  the  natural  outlet  for  all 
bu  ky  anic  es  fro.  that  partof  the  North  American  Conll:. 
2nd.  Because  from  the  rates  of  duty  on  the  frontier  and  ia 

fr:ty\t:r:d^ir  "^"-'  --  ^^-— 

3rd.  Because  when  the  Welland  Canal  becomes  enlarged,  an* 


VI 


[     8     ] 

the  impediments  in  the  St.  Lawrence  removed,  the  navigation 
from  the  upper  lakes  to  Montreal  and  Quebec — the  ports  of  ship- 
ment— will  be  80  easy,  that  flour  and  grain  may  be  transmitted 
thither,  and  shipped  at  a  lower  rate  than  at  any  other  port 
on  this  Continent. 

4th.  Because  by  this  operation,  Great  Britain  can  give  admis- 
sion to  the  American  products  on  terms  more  favourable  and  ex- 
clusive than  if  her  ports  wore  opened  generally  to  all  nations. 
And  it  is  advantageous  to  ofl'er  this  favour  to  America,  because 
America  will  take  British  goods  in  exchange. 

It  is  often  said  that  Great  Britain  should  at  once  throw  open 
her  ports  to  Foreign  Grain  at  low  or  nominal  duties ;  and  the 
advocates  of  the  tarifl"  in  this  country  urge  the  imposition  of 
high  duties  here,  in  retaliation  for  high  duties  in  England.     In 
some  respects  it  might  be  advantageous  to  Great  Britain  to  do 
so,  but  we  are  by  no  means  sure  that  it  would  be  so  to  the  United 
States  ;   for  the  moment  a  repeal  of  the  duties  on  Foreign  Grain 
generally,  took  place,  British  capital  and  British  Agricultural 
skill,  would  be  transferred  to  diflerent  parts  of  Europe,  to  pul 
waste  lands  into  cultivation  ior'the  supply  of  the  English  Market. 
There  is  no  want  of  spare  land  on  the  Continent,  and  that,  too, 
of  the  best  quality  for  Wheat ;  and  labour,  that  great  item  in  a 
farmer's  expenditure,  is  cheap  and  abundant.     Prolific  and  abun- 
dant as  are  the  Wheat  lands  of  Genessee,  Michigan,  &,c.,  they 
could  not,  from  the  high  price  of  human  labor,  compete  with  the 
Continent  of  Europe,  where  the  hire  of  a  daily  labourer  is  per- 
haps not  over  sixpence  sterling  a  day,  and  the  voyage  from  thence 
to  England  not  one  third  of  the  length  of  the  voyage  from  Ame- 
rica.    These  two  very  superior  advantages  of  cheap  labour  and 
short  voyages  must,  inevitably,  give  the  preponderance  to  the 
Continental  produce  in  the  English  Market,  over  the  American, 
whenever  the   capabilities   of  the   two   are   brought   fairly  in- 
to competition.      Even   as  it  is,  when  the  foreign  demand   is 
so  comparatively    small   and   uncertain — when   ihe   system   of 
Agriculture  is  so  imperfect  and  unscientific — and  when  there  is 
so  little  inducement  for  the  Continental  husbandman  to  produce 
more  than  suflicient  to  supply  the  home  demand — we  find  the  prices 
of  wheat  in  many  parts  of  Europe  to  be  lower  than  they  are  at 
New  York.     And  how  much  more  would  this  be  the  case  if  the 
stimulus  of  demand  and  the  invigorating  influence  of  British  skill 
and  capital,  were  brought  to  bear  upon  such  adv£.ntageous  ele- 
ments of  production  ? 

The  following  tables  will  throw  light  on  this  point. 


"  r* 


[  «  ] 

PRICES  OF  WHEAT  ON  THF  OONTINKNT  OF  EUROPE 

!,,■  „                         „                 Freight  per  bushol 
Pctoraburu           » "^«  P^  Muartcr.     Prr  bushel.        to  England, 
rctcrsburg "I^*   i.'^    #1,17 I5ct«. 


1,49 


St. 

P.'«"' 49     7 

*-'ebau 43     y  ,_ 

Odessa,  (Uluck  Sea) ^6     6      si 

Daiitzic, 3g 

Stockholm, 30 

Konigsberg .'.'  40 

otcftin, 40 

{?«'"''' .'..".'.'.'.'.".*.'  36 

blsinore, 30 

{Jaoiburg .'.■;.".';  35 

Kotterdam, 55 

^"'werp ;;;  56 

Palermo,  (Sicily,) 39 


80 
1,08 

90 
1,20 
1,80 
1,05 

90 
1,05 
1,65 
1,69 
1,14   , 


,   14 
.   16 
30 
12 
13 
15 
13 
13 
12 
12 
07 
07 
25 


top":::  eL*i'o2,tt;p^:?:rsL:°  otrr^^ 

averago  tor  a  stT'oa  of  vb.„  Tth.    """''' °', ''"'  T""'    given  above  are  tha 

av.,.fo  of  ,1"^:  °  ,s  ■;  4tTd7„  '':j:r'„;r',7r'"*''.  r,-  ■""? 

the  average  frcieht  to  FnalanH  i.ni\,l  '1"''"*"^  °^  ¥  ,3H   per  bushel,  and 

the  actuaf  averTo^'^st^detv  red  m  Endand'45?7.'"^''-     '^'"  """'1  '"^'^« 
per  bushel  without  duties      It  aDoear,  S^^  ''"'";^"'   °'  ^^''^^i 

other  part  of  Europe.     The  priest  Jsa^T/E  '''""''"  '"  R"^^';!!"'"  »"/ 
were  for  Wheat,  13s   6d   to  Klld  "»-!       "      he   govornmcnt  of  Tamboff, 


Rye  78  Id  to  7s' Vlrl'Tnr  ''^:  '"■.i'.?''  I"""""  (40i-  to  42  cents  per  bushel,) 
5id.  per  quarter  Mi  to^ir  '^"'f"'  ^^?  "u"!"  ^^  '•"«'^^'')  ^'"^^s.  9id.  to  si 
hnr.!L"J":Kl!:!:'i/,*!°  ^^•^^"'lll':'  bushel.)     The  expenses  to   sf.  Peters- 


burg  were  about  50  per  cent 


cents  per  bushel,)  Oa/«  48.  9id.  to  Ss 
on  \vu     .        \^  ,  '^''^  expenses  to   St.  Peters- 
Oats.  " '' "  ^^i^c^i,  and  above  100  per  cent  on  Rye  and 

termor  TlU^'i'li't  °[  l^'^'f  '?  ^''""^^  '»  ^^e  vear  1836  was  398.  per  quar- 

s.rd.';;;^;;a:;er"t'';i:  0^  :r\\rsSf:f?yT  %v''' '°  ''''^^ 

England  m  1836  was  48s    Odp^ Quarter  1   Si  5;ii  '^''^f  P"^*'  '" 

64s.  6d.  or  «1,93J  per  bushel  'J""'"' ^^  «1,44^  per  bushel;  m  1841 

v^^:^'£:::i,''^.s^^^^  -^^  f^'--nthe 

^M       V    .     .      ,     "^heat  per  bushel. 
/'New  York,  Aprd  26,  1842.     ,fi,25 
Philadelphia,  "     ~~ 

United  States.  \  Baltimore,       " 
^  Fredericksburg, 
Richmond,      " 
Detroit, 


Canada 


( 

(  Montreal, 
\  Toronto, 


23, 
23, 
18, 
18, 
19, 
29, 
23, 


1,20 
1,18 
1,10 
1,10 
,87} 
1,30 
1,00 


Flour  per  bbl.,  1961bs. 
$6,00 
6,75 
6,62^ 
5,60 
5,76 
4,37^ 
7,00 
5,00 


Flour.  P        "'''^'  '^"^  ^''««''  «»'i  60  to  75  cents  per  barrel  for 

I  am  fully  aware  that  these  statements  will  take  many  persons 
by  surprise,  but  their  truth,  I  aver,  will  stand  the  test  of  any  in- 
vestigation.  ^ 

But  these  objections  melt  away  if  the  British  duties  remain  as 
in.y  are,  and  we  avail  ourselves  of  the  Canada  route  for  transmit- 
ting the  article  to  England. 


[     10     ] 

What  I  have  said  on  Wheat  and  Flour  is  equally  applicable,, 
for  the  most  part,  to  other  Provisions. 

It  was  to  be  apprehended  that  in  the  course  of  the  Corn  Law 
revision,  this  trade  through  Canada  would  be  either  interrupted 
or  trammelled  with  heavy  duties ;  but  it  is  satisfactory  to  observe 
thai  the  new  tariff,  as  brought  before  Parliament  by  Sir  Robert 
Peel,  imposes  a  duty  of  only  three  shillings  a  quarter  on  wheat 
so  introduced — a  duty  too  small  to  check  its  transit  to  England, 
but  at  the  same  time  affording  a  moderate  protection  to  the  poor 
Canadian  emigrant  farmer,  who  is  struggling  against  all  the  diffi- 
culties of  a  new  country  and  a  cold  climate.  The  imposition  of 
this  small  duty,  in  fact,  legalizes  a  trade  that  was  previously  of  a 
questionable  character.  That  this  duty  cannot  be  any  check  to 
trade,  as  some  have  imagined,  even  when  the  duty  on  wheat  from 
Canada  is  superadded,  is  shown  from  the  following  table  of  the 
ne  y  scale  of  duties.  The  duty  on  Canada  wheat,  when  enter- 
ing British  ports  it  may  be  premised  will  be  five  shillings,  until  the 
averages  rise  to  58  shillings,  when  it  will  fall  to  one  shilling  per 
quarter.  American  wheat  passing  the  frontier  will  pay  three  shil- 
lings, making  a  total  duty  on  that  article  of  eight  shillings  in  one 
case,  ard  four  in  the  other  : — 

TABLE  OF  NEW  DUTIES  ON  FOREIGN  AND  COLONIAL  WHEAT 


0 


»l 


0 


On  Foreign, 

ry  qr.  5 

under  52s. 19s 

under  53s.. ,  c 

under  64s <  I8s 

under  55s v 

under  56s 17s, 

under  67s 16s.  0 

under  58s. 15s.  0 

under  59s. I4s.  0 

under  60s 13s.  0 

under  Bis. ,..12s.O 

under  82s 1  Is.  0 

under  63s 10s.  0 

under  64s 9s.  0 

under  658 8s.  0 

vinder  6Gs 78.  0 

under  67s.  \ 

under  68s.  > ., 6s 

under  69s.  ) 

under  70s 5s.  0 

under  71s 48.0 

under  72s..., 3s.  0 

under  TSs. 2s.  0 

upwards     . Is.  0 


When  the  averages  are  under  51s.  <  r    ^    ' 

51s.  and 
52s.  and 
53s  and 
54t.  and 
55s.  and 
56s.  and 
57s.  and 
58s.  and 
59s.  and 
60s.  and 
61s.  and 
62s.  and 
63s.  and 
S4s.  and 
65s.  and 
66s.  and 
67s.  ajiu 
68s.  and 
69s.  and 
70s.  and 
7l8.  and 
72s.  and 
73s.  and 


,.„! 


Old 

Duty 

On  Colonial 

on  Foreign 

6s. 

36s 

8d. 

6 

35 

8 

5 

34 

8 

5 

33 

8 

6 

32 

8 

4 

31 

8 

3 

30 

8 

29 

8 

28 

8 

27 

8 

26 

8 

25 

8 

24 

8 

23 

8 

22 

8 

21 

8 

20 

8 

18 

8 

16 

8 

13 

8 

10 

8 

6 

8 

2 

8 

1 

0 

Lpril  last 

,  was  59 

The  price  of  wheat  in  England  on  the  18th  Apr 
shillings,  corsequently  Canada  wheat  would  be  admissable  at  the 
lowest  rate  ol  duly,  or  one  shilling  per  quarter,  while  foreign  wheat 


X 


[  11  ] 

shol  th^'  superiority  of  the  route  by  the  St.  Lawrence;  and 
Should  the  new  act  not  require  any  certificate  of  colonial  origin 

trad!  ml'^TTl^  ''  '' '^'^ ''  ^^^^^^^  ^^^  ^-^«»«--  *his 
deepest  importance  to  all  the  northwestern  states-for  these  and 
C  nada  must  hereafter  be  the  granaries  of  England  for  her  fo- 
reign supply  of  bread. 

Now,  my  Lord,  this  shows  no  insignificant  trade  ;  and  it  is  the 
cZi7"'T"''''  United  States,  because  it  is  constantly  in- 
creasing ;  and  because  it  constitutes  what  the  Northern  States  have 

Zl  TTl'.  "7-  "^""''  '^  Northern  productions;  and  if  not  in- 

Sdvantf    T  '\""^  '""'  ''  ^^^  ^''^'  ««"^^-«  staples. 
The  advantage  of  such  a  trade  ought  to  be  fully  understood  by 

the  Statesmen  of  both  countries,  and  I  have  therefore  ventured  to 
call  your  Lordship's  attention  to  it. 


^^J  now  my  Lord  proceed  to  the  second  branch  of  the  subject, 

cltnT'''^''  '"  *'  ^^m..//..;n  introducing  the  MAIZE  into 
classed         '''  ""  '^'""^  ''''''^'  </««c/>r  the  Poor  and  Working 

A  relaxation  of  the  British  Corn  Laws,  now  happily  in  pro- 
gress, promises  a  large  addition  to  the  trade  of  the  two  countries  ; 
fw  ^7'^"^  been  of  opinion  that  it  was  a  desideratum  to 
tZfZ  ^"^""  ^  ckea.^r  article  of  food  than  .heatjr 

any  of  th  grains  nou,  ^n  use.  For  I  do  not  see  how  a  man,  earn- 
ing  eight  or  ten  shillings  a  week,  can  feed  a  family  of  as  many 
children  with  wheaten  bread  at  the  price  it  must  necessarily  be, 
evenatthe  new  and  reduced  scale  of  duties.  Such  anarticle  is 
to  be  found  m  this  country,  and  its  introduction  would  be  an  im- 
portant  auxiliary  to  trade,  and  would  prove  a  blessing  to  the  poor 
and  the  labouring  classes  of  the  three  Kingdoms 

The  article  to  which  I  allude  is  the  Maiae  or  Indian  Corn. 
;<^hich  grows  so  abundantly  in  this  country.     As  you  well  know 
It  IS  cheap,  palatable,  wholesome,  and  nutritious  in  an  eminent 

!r^7  '  ^"5^''"  ^^'°  ^"^^  ^"^  ^^^^  profusion  it  could  be  sup- 
plied  from  this  country  if  there  were  a  steady  demand  for  it,  and 
how  easy  it  would  be  for  England  to  pay  for  it,  as  all  its  groUra 
Here  are  lovers  and  consumers  of  British  manufactures. 

Cobbett  attempted  to  introduce  it  into  Fn^lnn^  K,r  «ui*:..~f:«-  . 
but  .hec,i,„a.e  of  Grea.  Britain  is  too  cold  t^^brin  iut  "erf::: 
uon,  and  therefore  his  experiments  failed.    It  requires  the  dnr 


[     12     ] 

atmosphere  and  ardent  sun  of  America  and  other  warm  climates 
to  ripen  it  fully. 

Maize,  or  Indian  Corn,  is  the  farinaceous  food  in  g.  iieral  use 
in  the  rural  districts  of  the  United  States.  Upon  it,  children 
thrive  and  adults  labour,  without  the  assistance  of  wheat.  It  is 
prepared  in  an  infinite  variety  of  ways — in  cakes,  in  puddings,  in 
the  form  of  bread,  &,c.  &c.,  and  possesses  a  superiority  to  barley 
in  powers  of  sustenance,  in  flavour,  and  in  expansibility  during 
the  process  of  cooking.  It  can  be  sold  at  the  port  of  shipment 
at  half  a  dollar  per  bushel ;  its  freight  across  the  Atlantic  would 
be  about  18  cts.  per  bushel,  and,  if  admitted  into  England  duty 
free,  it  could  be  ground  into  meal  or  flour  at  a  cost  of  6|  cts. 
more,  making  in  all  75  cts.,  or  three  quarters  of  a  dollar.  Allow- 
ing, in  addition  to  this,  25  cts.  for  retail  profits,  the  article  could 
be  sold  at  one  dollar  a  bushel  in  the  manufacturing  towns,  or  about 
four  shillings  and  fourpence  sterling. 

Now  the  bushel  weighs  at  least  fifty-eight  pounds,  which,  at 
four  and  fourpence,  is  less  than  one  penny  sterling  per  pound ; 
and  as  there  would  be  a  gain  to  the  shipper  of  the  diflTerence  of 
exchange,  there  can  be  no  hazard  in  saying  that  the  article  would 
be  always  on  sale  at  that  price. 

Admitting  then,  that  Maize,  ground  into  meal  and  fitted  for 
family  use,  can  be  sold  at  one  penny  per  pound  in  the  manufac- 
turing districts,  let  us  see  the  extent  of  the  benefits  to  be  derived 
from  it. 

As  an  article  of  general  domestic  use  it  has  no  equal,  where 
economy  is  an  object  to  be  kept  in  viev/.  It  is  easily  converted 
into  puddings,  cakes,  rolls,  and  bread  ;  but  the  cheapest  mode  of 
using  it — that  is  to  say,  the  way  in  which  it  will  go  the  farthest — 
is,  in  the  form  of  hasty  pudding  ;  and  in  this  manner,  when  pro- 
perly cooked,  its  advantages  as  a  cheap  food  are  surprising.  To 
establish  this  fact,  I  made  the  following  experiment: — 

I  carefully  weighed  out  one  pound  of  the  meal  and  gave  it  to  a 
person  who  understood  the  mode  of  cooking  it.  In  the  course  of 
boiling,  it  absorbed  ahout  five  pints  of  water,  which  was  added  at 
intervals  until  the  process  was  complete.  The  bulk  wfis  again 
weighed  and  gave  as  a  result  four  pounds  and  a  hacf.  Such  are 
the  powers  of  expansion  possessed  by  this  kind  of  grain.  On  di- 
viding the  mass  into  portions,  it  was  found  to  fill  four  soup  plates 
of  the  ordinary  size,  and  with  the  addition  of  a  little  milk  and 
sugar,  gave  a  plentiful  breakfast  to  four  servants  and  children. 

According  to  this  experiment,  one  pound  of  Maize  flour,  which 
cost  one  penny,  would  give  a  breakfast  to  four  persons,  at  one  far' 


i- 


[     13     ] 

thing  each ;  and  if  we  add  to  this  another  farthing  for  milk,  sugar, 
or  butter,  the  breakfast  would  cost  one  halfpenny  each,  and  would 
be  an  ample  meal  for  females  and  children.  Thousands  of  work- 
ing men,  indeed,  have  gone  to  their  daily  labour  during  the  past 
■winter  with  a  much  more  scanty  breakfast. 

But  it  is  not  for  breakfast  alone  that  this  preparation  is  useful ; 
it  is  equally  adapted  for  the  other  meals,  particularly  that  -^  sup- 
per ;  and  li  is  found  from  daily  experience  in  all  the  rural  districts 
of  this  country,  that  persons,  instead  of  becoming  tired  of  the 
article  become  daily  more  attached  to  it— thus  giving  a  physical 
illustration  of  Shakspeare's  remark,  that  "  increase  of  appetite 
grows  by  what  it  feeds  on." 

When,  during  the  last  war  with  the  United  States,  I  was  intrust- 
ed with  charge  of  the  Prison  Hospital  at  Melville  Island,  near 
Halifax,  the  Depot  was  crowded  with  American  soldiers  who  had 
been  captured  in  Canada,  and  sent  round  to  Nova  Scotia  for  safe 
custody.  Many  of  these  poor  men  were  afflicted  with  fevers 
and  other  diseases — and  being  mostly  from  the  northern  parts  of 
Ohio  and  Pennsylvania,  where  they  had  been  accustomed  to 
Indian  Corn  from  their  childhood— their  cry  for  "  mush  and  miW 
was  incessant.  As  no  such  article  was  issued  in  the  Prison  Hos- 
pital allowance,  their  lamentations  took  the  tone  of  despair.  At 
length,  moved  by  their  complaints,  I  applied  to  the  contractor  to 
send  a  supply  of  Indian  corn  meal,  and,  employing  one  of  the 
healthy  prisoners  to  prepare  the  article  properly,  I  soon  placed 
before  the  poor  sufferers  the  object  of  their  longings.  I  mention 
this  fact  to  show  how  fond  people  become  of  this  article  of  food 
by  constant  use. 

The  palatable  auxiliaries  of  this  preparation  of  the  Maize — I 
mean  the  ?iastf/  pudding,  or  mush,  as  it  is  termed  in  the  United 
States — are  sugar,  molasses  or  treacle,  and  butter ;  but  the  best 
and  most  healthful  by  far  is  milk,  a  small  quantity  of  which  gives 
it  a  most  agreeable  flavour,  and  renders  it  highly  digestible  and 
nutricious. 

The  other  preparations,  such  as  hominy,  cakes,  puddings,  and 
bread,  are  constantly  resorted  to  by  all  ecdnomists  in  the  country; 
■wheaten  bread,  indeed,  with  an  addition  of  one  third  corn  meal  is 
decidedly  improved  by  it,  and  obtains  the  preference  at  the  tables 
of  almost  all  American  families.  It  acquires  by  this  addition  a 
sweetness  in  flavour,  and  a  freshness  that  we  in  vain  look  for  in 
bread  made  entirely  of  wheat. 

Having  said  thus  much  as  to  the  qualities,  use,  and  cost  of  this 
article,  1  shall  conclude  by  making  the  following  deductions  and 
observations. 


\   f 


li;  V 

i. 


[        H        ] 

Ist.  That  the  labouring  classes  and  the  poor  of  Great  Britain 
require  a  cheaper  article  of  food  than  wheaten  bread. 

2nd.  That  although  wheat  contains  a  larger  portion  of  gluten, 
or  the  nutritive  ingredient,  bulk  is  necessary,  not  only  to  satisfy 
the  craving  of  hunger,  but  to  promote  digestion  by  the  "  stimulus 
of  distension,"  which  bulk  alone  can  give. 

3rd.  That  the  craving  of  hunger  being  removed  or  alleviated 
by  the  quantity  taken,  the  mind  is  more  at  ease ;  the  mental  irri- 
tability consequent  upon  hunger  is  assuaged,  and  man  goes  to  his 
labour  with  cheerfulness  and  vivacity,  becoming  a  more  peaceful 
citizen  and  perhaps  a  better  man. 

4th.  That  Maize  possesses  a  great  superiority  over  rye,  barley, 
oatmeal,  or  potatoes— not  that  it  contains  a  greater  quantity  of 
gluten,  but  that  its  constituent  parts  are  better  proportioned,  and 
consequently  make  a  better  article  of  food. 

5th.  That,  admitted  into  England  duty  free,  it  would  be  a  cheap- 
er article  of  food  than  any  of  those  above  named,  besides  being 
vastly  superior  to  them  in  nutritive  and  healthful  properties. 

6th.  That  it  can  be  obtained  in  any  quantities  from  all  parts  of 
the  United  States,  and  particularly  from  the  middle  and  Southern 
States,  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard— as  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  North  Carolina,  whose' 
proximity  to  the  sea  and  ports  of  shipment  give  them  great  ad- 
vantages by  saving  inland  conveyance.  The  whole  valley  of 
the  Mississippi  also  yields  it  in  abundance. 

7th.  That  the  people  of  all  parts  of  the  United  States  are  con- 
sumers of  British  manufactures  ;  for  in  spite  of  national  asperi- 
ties, they  adopt  the  habits,  tastes,  fashions,  and  dress  of  their 
English  ancestors.  This,  I  think,  is  a  natural  feeling  in  the 
human  breast,  for  I  never  yet  knew  a  son  who  was  oflended  by 
being  told  that  he  resembled  his  parent.  The  imported  grain 
then  would  be  paid  for  in  the  products  of  British  industry. 

8th.  That  the  rapidly  increasing  population  and  limited  super- 
ficial surface  of  the  British  isles,  will  speedily  render  a  foreign 
supply  of  grain  necessary  even  in  the  most  productive  sea- 
sons—and consequently  a  reduction  of  duties  must  ensue ;  it  is 
therefore  advantageous  to  the  agricultural  interests,  as  land  is  be- 
coming so  valuable,  to  reserve  as  much  of  the  soil  of  England  as 
possible  for  the  cultivation  of  wheat  and  more  valuable  products ; 
and  nothing  will  tend  to  promote  this  object  more  than  the  intro- 
duction of  a  copious  supply  of  cheaper  farinaceous  food  for  the 
poor  and  labouring  classes. 
9th.  That  by  a  process  of  this  sort  Great  Britain  will  be  able 


T 


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t 


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IS 


[     15     J 

^        ^  to  feed  a  much  larger  population  upon  her  surface  than  at  any 

former  period. 

10th.  That  by  reason  of  an  unusually  long  peace,  France  and 
other  European  countries  have  vastly  augmented  in  population, 
which,  added  to  their  love  of  military  glory,  makes  them  formida-^ 
^        ^  ble  neighbours  to  England,  and  will  enable  them  in  the  event  of"^ 

fresh  hostilities  to  bring  very  large  armies  into  the  field— to  place 
larger  navies  upon  the  Ocean,  and  to  increase  all  their  aggressive 
powers— rendering  it  imperative  on  her  to  retain  as  large  -  por- 
^    ,   ^  tion  of  her  people  at  home  a;i  can  be  fed,  leaving  emigration  to 

I  pursue  its  natural  and  steady  course  without  being  forced  by  arti- 

ficial means,  or  rendered  unavoidable  from  the  scarcity  of  food, 
i  Whoever  looks  at  the  position  of  Great  Britain  at  this  time,  and 

I  surveys  the  formidable  nations  that  lie  contiguous  to  her,  and 

I  their  vast  means  of  annoyance,  can  hardly  pronounce  her  safe 

^    i    ^  with  much  less  than  a  constant  resident  populaiion  of  thirty  mil- 

j  lions  of  souls. 

11th.  That  a  new  article  of  export  from  the  United  States  will 
put  forth  another  ligament  for  uniting  the  two  countries — will 
enlist  a  large  mass  of  the  agricultural  people  of  this  country  in 
favour  of  a  continuance  of  peace,  and  tend  to  dissipate  the  clouds 
that  now  overshadow  the  pacific  relations  of  England  and  Ame- 
rica. 

There  might  be  some  difficulty,  perhaps,  in  the  first  instance, 
in  inducing  the  people  of  England  to  adopt  the  use  of  the  Maize  ; 
but  this  could  be  got  over  with  some  assistance  from  the  press, 
especially  if  benevolent  and  patriotic  individuals  would  set  the 
example  to  the  masses  by  explaining  its  value  and  using  it  them- 
selves. Its  own  intrinsic  merits  would  do  the  rest,  and  Cobbett's 
publications  would  furnish  instructions  for  using  and  cooking 
the  article  in  the  many  forms  of  which  it  is  susceptible. 

Perhaps  the  estimate  of  one  farthing  for  sweetening  the  plate 
of  pudding  may  be  deemed  too  small  when  the  article  is  prepared 
on  a  small  scale ;  it  may  be  so,  but  it  will  be  found  sufficient 
when  made  by  the  quantity.  Prepared  in  large  quantities  and 
sold  as  soup  is  sold  at  soup  houses,  is  the  plan  I  have  in  view  to 
meet  the  lowest  point  >:  economy,  viz.  the  halfpenny  a  plateful, 
which  will,  according  to  the  experiment  described  at  page  12, 
contain  one  pound  and  two  ounces  of  wholesome  and  nutritious 
food.  What  a  blessing  would  such  an  article  at  such  a  price  have 
proved  to  the  starving  multitudes  in  the  manufacturing  towns  dur- 
ing the  last  winter !  How  many  poor  children  would  have  been 
spared  the  pangs  of  hunger  by  it ;  and  with  what  effect  could 


[     16     J 

appeals  have  been  made  to  the  benevolent  if  they  could  have 
been  told  that  a  donation  of  five  shillings  would  arrest  the  crav- 
ings of  one  hundred  and  twenty  persons — that  one  shilling  would 
do  the  same  for  twenty-four  human  beings,  and  sixpence  for 
twelve ! 

I  have  fixed  the  first  cost  of  the  Maize  at  half  a  dollar  per 
bushoJ;  but  if  the  monetary  system  of  the  United  States  should 
collapse  to  the  standard  of  1820,  the  article  would  be  even  lowers 
indeed  it  is  questionable  if  the  progress  of  Temperance  Societies 
does  not  materially  reduce  its  price,  by  throwing  out  of  use  those 
great  consumers  of  Maize— the  thousands  of  stills  now  in  opera- 
tion for  the  distillation  of  Whiskey  and  New  England  Rum  ;  in 
which  case  it  might  perhaps  bear  a  small  duty  at  the  British  Cus- 
tom Houses. 

If  by  the  gradual  and  progressive  introduction  of  this  cheaper 
article  of  food,  the  surface  of  the  British  Isles  can  be  made  to 
sustain  a  larger  population — wheat  and  other  products  of  the  soil 
will  not  be  diminished  in  consumption,  and  consequently  the 
farmer  and  landholder  will  not  be  injured,  seeing  that  England 
has  already  her  maximum  of  mouths  for  the  acres  that  can  be 
tilled  to  fill  them.  An  augmented  population  causes  an  augment- 
ed consumption  of  excisable  and  dutiable  articles,  thereby  replen- 
ishing the  treasury  and  adding  to  the  aggregate  power  of  national 
strength.  In  this  way  only  can  England  bear  on  her  surface  the 
necessary  population,  and  raise  an  adequate  revenue  to  enable  her 
to  keep  pace  with  the  daily  increasing  power  and  resources  of  ' 
the  potent  and  perhaps  hostile  nations  that   surround  her. 

As  the  process  of  grinding,  cooling,  and  drying  the  Maize  is 
best  understood  in  this  country,  it  would  be  advisable  in  the  first 
instance  to  use  the  meal  prepared  at  the  American  Mills,  espe- 
cially as  the  expense  of  milling  is  here  always  covered  by  the 
tollage,  or  one  tenth  of  the  quantity  ground. 

Trusting  that  your  Lordship  may  coincide  with  the  views  and 
opinions  here  expressed,  and  if  so  that  your  Lordship  will  use 
your  high  and  justly  acquired  influence  with  her  Majesty's  Go- 
vernment, and  the  Legislature  of  Great  Britain,  to  impress  them 
with  the  same  sentiments  ;  and  earnestly  hoping  that  these  hio-h 
authorities  may  see  the  wisdom  of  repealing  all  duty  upon  the 
article  of  food  hero  mentioned,  and  thus  confer  happiness  on 
millions  of  their  (ellow-creatures,  i«  the  fervent  prayer  of 
Your  Lordship's  Obedient  vServant, 

New  Yo.k,  May  1,  1842.  *         #         * 


'     %.. 


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